January birthstones: Garnet necklace

Astrologers believe that garnets bring happiness, reduce anger and conflict, and inspire creativity. So, they’re perfect for a January birthday as you contemplate your goals for the year ahead. Start the year creatively with a striking necklace of faceted garnets and art glass beads – happiness is sure to follow.

1. To make the dangles, string three head pins with a bicone, art glass bead, and bicone. (The ends of the bicones will fit inside the larger bead.) Make a wrapped loop above the end bead on each head pin.

Step 2

2. Determine the finished length of your necklace (mine is 15 in./38cm), add 6 in. (15cm), and cut two pieces of beading wire to that length. Center a dangle on one wire. String two spacers and a bicone on each side of the dangle.

Step 3

3. String 1 1⁄2 in. (4cm) of garnets, a bicone, two spacers, a dangle, two spacers, and a bicone. Repeat on the other side.

Step 4

4. String approximately 43⁄4 in. (12cm) of garnets, a seed bead, crimp bead, seed bead, and one section of the toggle clasp on each end. Go back through the last beads strung and tighten the wires, but do not crimp the crimp beads yet.

Step 5

5. To add the inner strand, take the wire through the outermost bicone (at either end), spacers, dangle, spacers, and bicone.

Step 6

String approximately 3 1⁄2 in. (9cm) of garnets, skip the beads around the center dangle, and go through the next bicone, spacers, dangle, spacers, and bicone.

Step 7

7. On each end of the inner strand, string approximately 4 1⁄2 in. (11cm) of garnets. (The inner strand should be slightly shorter than the outer strand.) Then string a seed bead, crimp bead, seed bead, and the respective section of the toggle clasp. Check the fit and add or remove beads, if necessary. Crimp the crimp beads and trim the excess wire.